It's been a week since Receiver William Lynch filed Harrisburg's revised fiscal recovery plan with the Commonwealth Court. Since then, the daily barrage of articles, reports, and commentary has slowed down a bit. However, the questions have not.

Tara Leo Auchey

In fact, they are flowing steadily into this column, and the most common subject thus far is the proposed parking lease.

While this seems to be the prominent focus of the public in general, a specific question came in set apart from the rest---will the parking lease prompt an onslaught of new surface parking lots in the city?

It's a question posed from someone who lives in Harrisburg with a backyard abutting properties on Front Street. Over the years this resident has seen businesses established along Front and Second Streets and noticed that many times, parking lots come, too.

"Big expanses of dismal macadam where once a house or a yard was," said the questioner.

There are two types of parking lots---accessory and commercial. Accessory is built for the staff and/or clients of a business whereas commercial parking is when a fee is charged.

Under Harrisburg's zoning rules, an accessory parking lot must be located on, beside, or within a specified distance from the principle location it serves.

What is allowed depends on what zone is being discussed. Such parking lots are permitted in business zones and industrial zones, but not in residential zones.

Exceptions have been made as in the case of the multiple parking lots for the Midtown campus of Harrisburg Area Community College.

When these exceptions come up, the public has a chance to oppose or support the project. The current Zoning Hearing Board typically gives much weight to residents' testimony.

Also, if an accessory parking lot is planned in a Municipal Historic District, those projects require Harrisburg Architecture Review Board and City Council approval. A building can't necessarily be torn down to create a parking lot, although as Front and Second Streets evidence, it has been done. Again, the public can have a say.

Last bit on this---the next wave of the city's future looks to include stricter stormwater management requirements and fees for the development of impervious surfaces, which parking lots are. It won't be cheap or easy to put one in.

Now, to commercial parking lots.

The short answer is no more can be built.

The city and the Harrisburg Parking Authority (HPA) have an agreement whose bottom line effect is that it hinders the development of commercial parking lots.

photo by Tara Leo Auchey

The proposed terms of the parking lease have a similar non-compete clause, although the non-compete area is not clearly defined in the proposal.

It's one of those parts of the plan that isn't determined yet.

However, the probability is that the non-compete area will include the whole city.

As has always been HPA's intention, the point of the proposed lease of 10 public parking garages, 5 parking lots, and about 1,250 parking meters is to get people to park in these places.

It bears repeating that all of the terms and controls are not yet set in place.

We don't actually know what the lease will allow and not allow in order to steer traffic to the public parking places.

We do know that an Advisory Committee will be in place to make decisions not defined at the front end of the lease. For example, one of the responsibilities of the committee is to annually consider the "proposed expansion or contraction of system or operations."

If it seems more money is to be made, then we'll probably see an expansion of the city's system under the lease.

"Highest and best use" is a common term in development. Ultimately, surface parking lots are not the highest and best use of urban land or the most lucrative. If anything is to be built down the road, the goal would be more garages, not lots.

Thanks to Steve from Harrisburg for that question! Have a question on the Harrisburg Strong Plan or anything else city-related? Send it to questions@todaysthedayhbg.com.

Please include your full name, town and phone number. Only your first name and town will be publicized. No anonymous submissions will be accepted.

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